The music video premiered on 20 January 2009 on 4Music and Channel 4.[7] The video starts out with kids sitting and awaiting a traditional Punch and Judypuppet show and features the band performing as puppets. However, the puppet show becomes increasingly extravagant as the video goes on, eventually featuring pyrotechnics and frontmanChris Martincrowd surfing over the children. Finally the puppet band members board a small helicopter which crashes through a window and flies away.[8] James Clarkson[9] and Coldplay's unofficial fifth member, Phil Harvey, can be seen in the video.[10]

The instrumental version of this song (released on the Viva La Vida album) can be heard as the film Night at the Museum 2 ends during a scene with Ben Stiller and Amy Adams. It was also used on Sky Sports' "Ford Super Sunday" coverage during the 2008/2009 as well as "Match of the Day" during the same season. This version was used at the beginning of the Great Yarmouth (UK) Hippodrome Circus show 2009. NFL Network also used it for their coverage of the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine and also for their coverage of the 2009 NFL Draft. The song was also played during the opening montage of the 2009 ESPY Awards. The instrumental version of the song is used in London Eye's pre-flight 4D Experience show. A portion of the instrumental version is also used in Apple Inc.'s introduction of the 2008 MacBook Air, as well as the introduction of the Late 08 MacBook.[12] The song was also used in a promotional on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) for PBS's primary programming. Life in Technicolor II was used in an advertisement for Wimbledon 2013 on ESPN.